Perfect for Christmas day. The mellowness of the maple syrup complements the tart cranberries. I was worried about the consistency of the cranberry mixture (too thin?) but the cornbread/cake rose to the top as it cooked and all was well. Delicious.

This dish is absolutely wonderful!
For those who find it bitter, I
would have to ask if they like
cranberries and did they add a fat
as outlined in the recipe? The dish
would be tart if you don't add a fat
to it but if made as the recipe is
written, I can attest that the
creaminess of the Crème Fraîche
counteracts the tartness. I have
substituted sour cream or whipping
cream in place of the Crème Fraîche
but find that it is best topped with
Crème Fraîche. I have served this
both for breakfast and for dessert
to rave reviews. Even my 9-year old
boy (the carbivore) ate it last time
I made if for dessert. Give it a
try!

I followed this recipe to the letter (except that I doubled it; there are never enough desserts in my house). We LOVED it. There was absolutely nothing bitter or too sweet about it. It was perfect. And by the way, in New Zealand, "real" maple syrup costs about $40 a quart (yes, you read that right, it's imported from Canada), so since I doubled the recipe it used about $20 worth! And I'd still make it again!

Based on the early recommendation to add a bit more sugar to the cake topping, I did and it was lovely, no bitter taste at all, though I don't think it required another whole TB of sugar because the cranberry/maple mixture was extremely sweet. I'll be cutting back on the maple syrup a bit next time. I loved the texture and used plain creme fraiche as a topping. It was luscious. So homey and easy.

I haven't tried this
recipe yet, but I
noticed lots of
comments about
bitterness. Cornmeal
that has gone bad
can cause a very
unpleasant bitter
taste. Make sure
your cornmeal is
fresh. Stone ground
cornmeal is more
perishable then
steel ground because
it contains the
whole kernel.